"Gary Mitchell, AFSCME International vice president–Wisconsin: “Don’t change. Keep doing what you’re doing. It was so successful for Herbert Hoover and the Republican Party in the 1930s"

Actually Hoover was a Big Government guy. He increased spending at the federal level by 40% in the 4 years he was in office. He also supported protectionists legislation. And he was a pacifist. Now, I actually like many things about Hoover (perhaps the most compassionate president we ever had), but for the most part, his policies matched those of today's Democrats.

Donald Downs, professor of political science, law and journalism at UW–Madison: “Okay, I get it. You and your minions are starving the UW System, in part because the UW is so overwhelmingly left-liberal. But please consider the other fact in this matter: We are a great public university system, and the Madison campus is a world leader in research. Do you really want to see this jewel forever lose its luster? “

Well Mr Donald Downs, UW-Madison is good in many areas. Research, law, ag, etc. But if it is like other UW branches, the Political Science dept is a waste of money. If it is like the location I got my undergrad in, the Pol Science area is made up of tired old liberals who want an easy paycheck for doing little work, and to prothesize their politics to young impressionable students.

I'd say that is a good place to look at for cutting, instead of the hard sciences where people actually learn something they will use in their lives.

I'd tell him he's doing a fantastic job, and to keep being polite and civil and dignified while not holding back from using every single tactic, legal loophole, obscure regulation, strained case law interpretation, or other means to defeat these people, who show no respect for the spirit of civil debate and democracy. These are people who will abuse the process by calling for a "do-over" election, not because there are any allegations of wrong-doing at all, but because they disagree with a policy choice you made. These are people who invade our political gatherings to intimidate us by screaming as a group so our speakers can't be heard. These are people who called for more legislative recall elections in one year - again, for no legitimate reason - than had been held in generations. They abuse the process as a matter of course, and so we are under no obligation to hobble ourselves by continuing to follow the unwritten rules that the Left has destroyed. Fight as dirty as you can, with a pleasant smile on your face as you do it.

I don't know what I would say, but if I'm going to corner someone at a party, I hope I have a glass of scotch, a cigarette with a long holder, a chic black dress, a slightly unsteady stance, and slurry words that seem really brilliant at the time.

"These comments are more one-sided than we wanted, but it was hard getting local Republicans and businesspeople to step up. One business leader’s explanation for his silence was troubling: Based on his experiences, he feared harassment and vandalism if he dared to publicly support the governor."

Ann, I darkly suspect that you listen to NPR on Saturday mornings. Scott Simon is always pleading with people to "help us to understand." Last week he did it three times to different interviewees -- a personal best for one segment, I think.

Sunny Schubert, writer: “There are a lot of non-religious people in Wisconsin, and we’re tired of lawmakers shoving their religion down our throats. It’s hard to defend the GOP’s attacks on sex education and Planned Parenthood. If you truly believe in small government and individual freedom, how about sticking to government’s core functions and quit trying to legislate morality?”

My question to Scott Walker would be: "Do you think Sunny Schubert realized how many times she contradicted herself just now?"

Doesn't Madison have any "regular" people? Everybody is an elected official, employed by an NGO, or an artsy-fartsy type. Nobody up there works at a hardware store, repairs cars, or builds houses? Sheesh.

"It’s hard to defend the GOP’s attacks on sex education and Planned Parenthood. If you truly believe in small government and individual freedom, how about sticking to government’s core functions and quit trying to legislate morality?”

I replied that this was internally inconsistent. Someone who is in favor of small government and individual freedom understands that sex education and support of Planned Parenthood are not core government functions. The fact that this guy apparently thinks they are means that he'll never understand what Gov. Walker is doing, or why.

Donald Downs's comment was highly disappointing for its innumeracy as well as its partisan spin.

The total proposed $46 million in cuts in state appropriations to the entire UW system and its 13 campuses would amount to a little over 4 percent of the budget for salaries only at the Madison campus only. It doesn't seem like it would be massively painful to spread the $46 mil hit across the entire UW system by leaving unfilled positions unfilled, cutting some adjunct faculty here and there, and raising tuition. If teaching loads in the humanities and social sciences went up a bit and fewer obscure papers got written, would that be a bug or a feature?

Downs also goes to far as to claim that Walker's cuts are motivated by political animus toward the UW faculty. Is there actual evidence of this? What other cuts would Downs propose instead of cuts that hurt himself, if ever so slightly?

I thought this guy had some integrity, but apparently I was wrong about that.

It’s hard to defend the GOP’s attacks on sex education and Planned Parenthood. If you truly believe in small government and individual freedom, how about sticking to government’s core functions and quit trying to legislate morality?”

Yes, because as we all know it is a core function of government to fund Planned Parenthood!

One wonders if this person is capable of understanding that for a majority of America's history "sex education" was not part of the cirriculum.

I would ask him to award MORE funding to the school districts with the best credit ratings (ie: balanced budgets) and the highest scores (broken out by demographic if that'll keep the whining down). Straight up pay for play - more money to those who do it right.

It is the normal hard working folks of Wisconsin that deserve Governor Walker. The quoters are clearly out of touch and do not deserve the fiscal responsibility that Walker is providing. I would say let them run the state into the ground, but there would be collateral damage and I cannot wish for that.

Jay, on the other hand, you have to admit that the United States was a nowhere backwater on the world stage, an economically destitute and powerless country before sex education was introduced in schools. Oh, wait ...

Right back at you, Garage.From the New York Times (not a partisan hit shop like Think Progress): Obama’s Easy CreditThe Obama campaign has deliberately turned off the anti-fraud mechanisms available for internet credit card transactions. They have no clue how many millions or tens of millions of dollars have been donated to them in violation of federal election law. And now it turns out that the Obama campaign cheerfully takes even contributions from untraceable pre-paid credit cards, a/k/a ‘the pseudo-credit cards you use when you want to conceal illegal activity.’

@garage--OK, I found that $300M is a worst-case scenario for cuts, but it's still the case that the UW system's budget is $5.5 billion/year, so the worst-case scenario is about 5.5% in cuts. Not trivial, but not mission-threatening, either.

These sorts of cuts in state funding of higher ed are going on in many states, and being replaced by private funding and tuition payments. A shift away from direct funding of the institutions to financial aid to students is a good thing, IMO.

Garage, I don't have the figures in front of me specifically for the U of W system, but overall in higher education you'll find that the number of administrators in university systems has increased exponentially to the point that at most schools there are as many administrators as there are people who actually teach or do research.

Here's an example.. This gentleman is the Chief Diversity Officer and Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate at UW. You want to save money without injuring the ability of students to study and earn a degree? Get rid of him. Get rid of his entire department. Money saved with no harm done at all to the school. In fact, it's reputation as a school that is focused on an educational mission instead of a mission to provide employment for academics will likely be enhanced. Put me in charge and I'll save 5.5% of the UW budget in a week.

@garage--OK, I found that $300M is a worst-case scenario for cuts, but it's still the case that the UW system's budget is $5.5 billion/year, so the worst-case scenario is about 5.5% in cuts. Not trivial, but not mission-threatening, either.

Actually, it's half that, because the state budget is biennial but the UW budget is not. So it's really either $300 million out of $11 billion, or $150 million out of $5.5 billion.

I also want to say that I was disappointed in Downs' answer. I really liked him because he almost never took cheap shots, didn't believe in simple answers, and always saw both sides of an issue. I get that this was supposed to be pithy, but doesn't sound like the man I remember.

Uh, fail. Walker did not hire people "that pilfered money from wounded veterans and solicited boys." When he hired them they had not in fact done the former. And it was Walker's COS that went to authorities to investigate the missing money. So I'm perfectly fine with an administration that self polices like that. You're not? Tsk garage.

As far as the latter, child enticement etc, that person was not hired by Walker. He never worked for Walker. So this is again a falsehood.

So if we use Garage Logic (which means something entirely different in Minnesota as opposed to the Althouse board) ...... The guy who solicited boys was hired by the office of Tony Evers, who was elected to run the Department of Public Instruction. Mr. Evers was elected with the full backing of the state teachers union. Therefore, teachers union support child solicitation.

"feared harassment and vandalism if he dared to publicly support the governor".

Yes, and one could expect retribution from all departments of the City of Madison. Can you imagine if you were a contractor that wanted to express an opinion? "Nope, that job don't pass inspection, nosirree"

Or if you were a vendor?

For my money, the police of all stripes in Madison cannot be trusted to do the right thing either. They are complete sympathizers, therefore you are on your own, or worse if they decide to harass you.

...."Yes, and one could expect retribution from all departments of the City of Madison. Can you imagine if you were a contractor that wanted to express an opinion? "Nope, that job don't pass inspection, nosirree""

Hey....when I lived in Duluth, the city was accused of that. There was an electrician who was non-union. It was just him and one or two employees, so he saw no need to pay union dues.

Welllll the city council (as is the school board) is made up of "labor endorsed" people. They hire like-minded people to run the city departments. And guess who had a hard time getting the city inspector to approve his work.....yup. The non-union businessman. Don't know what became of the accuastions, but I imagine that this would be very hard to prove in court.

Tyrone....yup. People try to do the "criminalization of politics". Keep accusing your political opponent of committing a crime, hoping something will stick. No stealing, no sexual assults, no bribery, its just using details of campaign finance laws (and similiar laws) hoping to find a clause that you can use against your enemy.

This gentleman is the Chief Diversity Officer and Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate at UW. You want to save money without injuring the ability of students to study and earn a degree?

I suspect -- I'm not sure, but I suspect -- that a Diversity Officer is present on Campus to make certain that Federal and State Guidelines tied to awarded grants -- guidelines that are related to race and diversity -- are met.

If you want to get rid of such an administrator (a worthy goal, although where would the Sociology and N studies PhDs work if you did?), you first must make the awarded grants unencumbered. Or do away with the grants altogether.

but it was hard getting local Republicans and businesspeople to step up. One business leader’s explanation for his silence was troubling: Based on his experiences, he feared harassment and vandalism if he dared to publicly support the governor. Former Dane County Supervisor Ruth Ann Schoer made the same point, saying, “A lot of conservatives in Dane County are afraid of retaliation if they speak up. I know quite a few teachers who support the governor’s measures but wouldn't dare speak out. They would be so blackballed.”

Apparently Madison’s commitment to diversity goes only so far.

What does AL think about this?

AL is Squealer of Animal Farm: Some Animals (Liberals) are more equal then others (Those who do not support AL's views)

"I suspect -- I'm not sure, but I suspect -- that a Diversity Officer is present on Campus to make certain that Federal and State Guidelines tied to awarded grants -- guidelines that are related to race and diversity -- are met.

If you want to get rid of such an administrator (a worthy goal, although where would the Sociology and N studies PhDs work if you did?), you first must make the awarded grants unencumbered. Or do away with the grants altogether."

If the Sociology and N (? What's "N"?) PhD's went away it probably wouldn't cause Western Civilization to collapse. But be that as it may, have a look at the web page again. Click through all the links on it. Have a look at all the projects and initiatives he says that he and his staff are spending their time on. What of any of it has anything to do with the functions you name?

If you need a few clerical types to shuffle some Federal paperwork, fine. That can be hired relatively cheap without all the stuff these people have dreamed to waste taxpayer money on.

I mean, really. What happens to someone where they wake up and say "What this University needs to do is spend millions of dollars on a 'Diversity and Climate' office!"

I would say, thank you Governor Walker - have a drink on me for not turning us into Illinois and for getting the order correct:Wisconsin: Pension reform=>credit stable or upgrade=>sky does not fallIllinois: Credit downgrade=>Sky begins to fall => Governor vows to finally reform pensionshttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-quinn-illinois-debt-rating-20120111,0,7683916.storyUnfortunately, Quinn is a Dem and unionista, so he won't get recalled, and I bet the reform won't be as far reaching...

MadisonMan,I was talking in terms of pension reform where the government employees have to contribute to their pension, which I'm probably imagining that Illinois state employees don't have to do??? I don't know...